Toy parachute



Jan. 1 7, 1Q33n C. O. BOWMAN TOY PARAGHUTE Filed Oct. 31, 1931 a 0Bourma7 Patented Jan. 17, 1933 CARL O. BOWMAN, OF J'OI'INSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LUKE H. SWANK, (3F JOHNSIOVIN, PENNSYLVANIA TOY PAR-ACHUTE Application filed. October 31,

This invention relates to toy devices and The casing 3 is preferably a flat flexible pertains particularly to a toy parachute.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a toy parachute having associated therewith means whereby the parachute may be released after a predetermined period, so that the toy may be thrown into the air by a child and adjusted to open at the proper time to descend open and in the proper manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide anovel means for releasing a casing in which the parachute is folded, so that the casing will open up at the proper time after be ing thrown into the air.

Other objects and advantages of the pres ent invention will become apparent as the description of the same proceeds and the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing 2-- s Figure 1 shows the toy embodying the present invention in opened condition;

' Figure 2 shows the toy folded up in its casing and the latching element by which the casing 1s maintained closed and the means for controlling the element;

. Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view through the latch controlling mechanism,

and I Figured is an enlarged detailed view of the structure controlling the escape of air from the latch controlling mechanism.

Referring now'more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, the numeral 1 indicates a parachute of any suitable material, connected by means of the cords 2 with the flexible foldable casing 3 in which the parachute is held while .being projected intov the air.

1931. Serial No. 572,412.

body of leather or similar material to the central back portion of which the cords 2 are secured together as indicated at 1. The

outer face of the casing along each longitudinal edge is reinforced by a metal plate 5 each of which plates has secured to its outer longitudinal edge, a latch pin receiving sleeve 6. As shown in Figure 2 the casing 3 is drawn about the folded parachute thus forming a substantially cylindrical body and the edges of the plates 5 are brought together so that the latch pin receiving sleeve 6 will be brought into aligned relation in the manner shown.

One of the plates 5 has secured thereto an elongated guide sleeve 7 which is parallel with the adjacent latch pin receiving sleeve 6 and through this guide sleeve there extends the shiftable rod 8 which has a lateral exdisk '11.

Secured to the plate to which the guide sleeve 7 is attached, and spaced from the.

end thereof which is adjacent the rod carried disk 11, is a bracket 12 which has a collar 13 formed integral therewith, the axial center of which is aligned with the center of the sleeve 7 In this collar there is secured the nipple i 1% of a rubber bulb 15 which is disposed be tween the bracket or the collar 13 and the disk 11 and when expanded to its proper spherical form, bears against the disk 11 and holds the latter against the end of the guide sleeve 7, as illustrated in Figure 3. Within the nipple 14 of this bulb is an interiorly threaded sleeve 16, the points of which threads are cut off or flattened slightly, as indicated at 17 in Figure 4 and this sleeve 16 receives the threaded valve pin 18.

As will be seen the normal expanded position of the bulb 15 will force the rod8 in the proper direction to move the latch pin out of the sleeve 6 which is nearest the bulb and thus disconnect the edges of the casing 3.

In the use of the present device the parachute is folded and rolled inside of the casing 3 andthe latch pin 10 is then shifted to lock together the sleeve 6. I11 shifting the pin for this purpose the disk 11'or the rod 8 will be forced against the bulb 15 and compress the same as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. By adjusting the screw 18 the length of the spiral passage which is formed between the bottom of the spaces between the threads on the pin 18 and the'flattened surfaces 17 may be adjusted so that the length of time required for the air to flow back into the bulb 15 to allow the same to resume its former spherical condition may be so controlled as to cause the connected edges of the casing 3 to be released at the desired time after the folded parachute has been thrown into the air.

By this means it will be readily seen that the release of the folded parachute may be controlled to suit the child using the same,

that is, if the parachute is thrown into the air to a. height where it will start to fall back after a period of fifteen seconds the re lease of the casing may be caused to occur after a lapse of a fifteen secondperiod so that the parachute will be released as soon as it starts to fall back to the earth.

While the casing 3 has been described as being-by preference in the form of a flat flexible body'of leather or similar material, it is, ofcourse, to be understood that this casing may be in the form of a metal cylinder or ball or of I any'other configuration without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A parachute carrier and releasing means comprising a casing designed to be closed about a folded parachute, latching means for the casing, a resilient element having connection with said latching means and normally urging the same to unlatching position, and adjustable meansfor controlling the action of said resilient means after the casing has been secured in closed position by connecting means between the parachute and the casing, said casing having two opposing edges, a pair of latching sleeves each being [carried adjacentone of'said edges. a shiftable latchingpin designed to pass through the V aligned sleeves to maintain the casing closed,

and a time controlled element connected with said latching pin and adapted to shift the pin for the disconnection of said sleeves a predetermined period after being set.

3. time controlled latch comprising a latch pin designed toconnect a pair of keeper elements, a sliding member connected with when the casing is closed, are in close relasaid pin and having one end extended beyond a free end of the pin, a hollow apertured compressible body mounted in alignment with said sliding member to be compressed thereby upon the movement of the latching pin to operative'position, and means for controlling the flow 0 air into the hollow body after the same has been compressed to regulate the movement of the sliding memher and the return of the pin thereby to inoperative position.

4. A device of the character described comprising a foldable body having two 1ongitudinal edges designed to be brought into foldable body and normally maintained in one position by the-hollow body and having connection with said latching pin, said rod compressing saidhollow body upon movement of said latching pin into sleeve connectingposition, and means for regulating the" flow of air through the aperture of said body to control the return of the same to normal condition after being compressed. I

described 5. A device, of the character comprising a parachute, a body desi ed to encase the parachute in folded condition, :a

pair of latch sleeves connectedto adjacent separable edges of the encasing body and adapted to be arranged in alignedicondition, a guide sleeve mounted adjacent and parallel to one of said latch sleeves, a rod member slidably mounted in said'guide sleeve, a latch pin connected at oneend with said rod member and having its other end terminating short of the adjacent end of the rod memberf said latch pin being arranged for'extension through said sleeves, a deformable ball having an air outlet nipple mounted upon the body in alignment with said other end of the rod, said ball normally forcing said rod in one directiomand a valve element adjustably mounted in the nipple of said ball for regulating the flow of air therethrough, said rod operating to collapse the ball upon the movement of'thelatch pinto position in both latch sleeves.

6. A device of the character described comprising a casing having two portions which,

tion, coacting keeper members carried by the portions, a re'ciprocable latch whichin one position connects said members, and an air bulb mounted adjacent the latch and having means to permit air to leak thereinto or therefrom and which. when in normal uncompressed condition maintains the latch in a position of release from the keeper members. 7. In a device of the character described, a parachute, means for releasably holding the parachute in folded condition, said means having two normally contiguous portions, means for latching said portions together, and a collapsible hollow body carried by said holding means having means for bleeding air thereinto after being collapsed, the said latching means being disposed relative to the body to be influenced thereby to normally retain a non-latching position, the latching means being capable of retaining a latching l position only when the body is collapsed. 8. In a device of the character described, a parachute, means for releasably holding the parachute in folded condition, said means having two normally contiguous portions, means for latching said portions together, a collapsible hollow body carried by said holding means, and adjustable means controlling an opening leading from the exterior into said hollow body for regulating the period of time consumed by the body in returning to normal position after being collapsed, the said latching means being disposed relative to the body to be influenced thereby to normally retain a non-latching position, the latching means being capable of retaining a latching position only when the body is collapsed.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature. CARL O. BOWMAN. 

